Remember the days when you would ask for something expensive and, of all the people, it would be your grandmother who would magically come up with the stash? How joyous would it make us all! Where was all this money coming from? She did not get a salary, after all. I remember once seeing my grandmother dig into a rice jar with hidden cash in it.
My grandmother used to take out a small amount from the monthly budget and stash it away, regularly. My mother did something similar, just not in a rice jar.
While I think the rice jar serves well as an alternate savings account, it may not work for everyone. The idea is that if you save before you spend, you are more likely to stick to a budget. When your means are limited, your expenses become limited as well. We now have the option of parking our funds in mutual funds, stable stocks, FDs, etc.
Gold to the rescue
I always saw my mother buy gold, be it for a festival, a wedding or during a random shopping outing. First, I thought that it was to wear, but I realised how most of it would just sit in bank lockers and safes. All that gold was not for her love of jewellery, but were mostly for investment purposes.
According to her, it is easier to sell gold, making it an ideal form of investment for people who are not willing to take a lot of risks.
If you are not comfortable with buying physical gold, there is always an option of investing in digital gold amongst modern-day investors who consider gold a secure option for their money in a volatile market.
Budgeting is key
I'm no stranger to running out of money by the end of the month; the idea of budgeting has always been a mystery to me. I feel that I already spend on necessities, so creating a budget won't make much difference to my spending habits.
But one of the first financial lessons I learnt from my mother was how to budget. According to my mother, realistic budgeting helps us gain control over our expenses and often helps us decide ahead of time how much money will be spent and where.
While I still prioritise coffee dates, I am now easily able to identify and eliminate unnecessary items from my spending list by setting aside a predetermined amount for savings.
Bargaining works wonders
Another financial hack that my mother used is the art of bargaining. From clothes to groceries, she would negotiate with shopkeepers to get the best deals on everything. She showed me how to be confident and assertive while bargaining, which has helped me save money and get better deals over the years.
Repurpose & reuse
An important lesson that my mother taught me was the value of repurposing and reusing items. She always knew how to make the most of what she had, whether it was by turning old clothes into cleaning rags or reusing containers for storage. This has not only helped us save money, but has also encouraged us to live more sustainably.
